Poland-based metal band, Death Reapers, have released their new EP, The New Beginning. Get it here, and find a full EP audio stream, as well as a video for the title track, below.





Formed in 2019 in Przytoczna, a small town in Poland by instrumentalists Hubert Potomski, Kamil Winter, Filip Kudliński and Szymon Śmigiel, Death Reapers spent a year creating music and performing live without a vocalist. Hubert's cousin Konrad joined the band as the vocalist and lyric writer in 2020, just prior to the Covid Pandemic.







During the lockdown, Death Reapers recorded and released their first single "Fire & Glass." In early 2021 Death Reapers followed up with their first EP Sightless. The drummer, Szymon, left the band.


Death Reapers continued on, releasing another single "Death Reapers" before finding their newest member, drummer Mateusz Ratajczak in early 2022. With the current lineup, Death Reapers recorded a live session and played their first concert. The band then began the process of creating and recording the The New Beginning EP. The busiest recording period was the summer, which ultimately ended with a concert at a local festival in front of a large audience, and on the same day, the recording of their first music video.


Hubert and Mateusz are 18 years old, Filip and Kamil are 19 and Konrad is 20. The future is bright for these young metalheads!








Lineup:


Konrad Kropidłowski - vocals
Hubert Potomski - lead guitar
Kamil Winter - rhythm guitar
Filip Kudliński - bass guitar
Mateusz Ratajczak - drums


(Photo - Jakub Stefański)

KINGDOM COME singer Keith St. John, who joined the band in 2018 as the replacement for original frontman Lenny Wolf, spoke to Chris Akin Presents about the absence of drummer James Kottak from some of the group's recent shows. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "James Kottak has had some health situations over the last year, and they've really been affecting his playing. Everybody in the band really wanted him to be able to continue and play, but he's just gotta sort some things out and wait for some stuff in his body to heal before he has the strength to play the songs [properly]."

Asked if there is any chance of the current lineup of KINGDOM COME recording and releasing new music in the not-too-distant future, Keith said: "It's gone back and forth. Rick Steier [guitar] and I have probably put more material together than any other combination 'cause we both live in L.A. And we were working with James too, but James kind of… Long story short, he's back down in Louisville, Kentucky, which is his hometown, and he's trying to get… He's got some broken bones and all kinds of stuff going on that… He had an accident and he's just trying to get himself back together before he comes back and tries to get back in the fold.

"The other guys, Danny Stag [guitar] and Johnny B. Frank [bass], they live in different cities — one's in Jacksonville, one's in Pittsburgh — and they're writing and they're sending over ideas all the time," he continued. "I mean, we have communication back and forth. So if we can put some of this stuff together and actually get the whole band in the studio for a couple of weeks or whatnot, I think we can come out of it with an album. I'm hoping."

Last month, James said that he "jacked" his left up last fall when he "tripped and fell on the pavement." The 60-year-old musician discussed his latest medical setback in an interview with "Rimshots With Sean". Confirming that he was speaking from Louisville, Kentucky, where he was born and lived until 1987, Kottak said: "I came over here [to Louisville], actually, at the very end of October [of 2022]. I was just coming to chill out and hang out with my brother and sister. I was gonna stay for a couple of weeks. But I tripped and fell and really jacked my left hip up. I couldn't believe it. I'd never broken anything in my life. So I ended up going to the hospital and I ended up staying at the hospital for five, six days. So after that, I came over here to my sister's house and I've been here since. And I've really been enjoying it. But I've been back to the doctor, like, three or four times, and they're, like, 'You know, it's probably not a good idea to travel.' I'm, like, 'Okay.' So I've just been here and been going back to my appointments. I had one yesterday. And things on the up and up."

Regarding how he is spending his time while recovering from his latest injury, Kottak said: "One of my endless tasks is staying in shape and exercising and that sort of thing. Right now I'm just doing a lot of stretching. And I'm just now able to walk about — probably do about eight hundred steps a day. And that may sound like a lot, but I'm normally used to doing a whole lot more. So I'm here in Louisville, like I said, and I'm just really laying low and enjoying the time over here at my sister's house. And my brother's hanging out. And I've got all kinds of friends here. But like I said, it's been really kind of quiet here. But once I get back to L.A., there's things planned and there's always something popping up… Now we're past the New Year. Somebody will call about this or that. And then we're also planning KINGDOM COME shows and stuff."

He continued: "Man, that COVID thing came, and for the year 2020, KINGDOM COME — we had about 40, 45 shows booked, and everything got wiped out, man, even the European stuff, 'cause we were going to Germany and all over the place, even Japan. Everything, because of that COVID thing, got totally postponed. And a lot of the stuff that was postponed to 2021 and even 2022 never happened, 'cause a lot of places shut down, a lot of promoters went out of business. It really hurt lots of people. So we're just kind of picking up now where we left off and [talking to] our agent and trying to book some shows."

James went on to say that he is "doing great" and is very optimistic about his recovery. "Another two weeks and I'll be almost back to normal," he predicted. "And that's not what they said. They go, 'Look, give it three to six months.' I'm, like, 'No, I'll be good after two months.' … I'll be up and running here in no time. This is probably the worst accident I've ever had. I just tripped and fell on the pavement. And I didn't feel like anything bad happened."

In December, St. John told the "Pat's Soundbytes Unplugged" podcast that "James has had some health issues in this last — [it's] going on for about two years, I would say, and creeping up. And now he's on a break for a little while until he gets recouped and recovered from everything. And my good friend who plays in '[Raiding The] Rock Vault' with me out here, Blas Elias, has stepped in — Blas Elias from SLAUGHTER; he stepped in to take over the drums for now."

KINGDOM COME played its first two shows with Elias in September in Texas.

Six months ago, Kottak announced that he wouldn't play with his KINGDOM COME bandmates at their concerts in Texas. In the early hours of August 21, 2022, James took to his Twitter to write: "I will not be at the Kingdom Come Plano or San Antonio shows so don't waste your time thanks jams k [sic]".

Last June, KINGDOM COME's appearance at Sweden Rock Festival was described by the popular Swedish site Rocknytt as the event's "biggest fuckup." Writer Peter Johansson singled out Kottak, saying that the drummer played "really badly, sluggishly" and at times failed to keep the tempo "worryingly throughout the concert". At the end of the show, Kottak "stumbled to the edge of the stage to bow with his bandmates," according to Rocknytt.

Also critical of KINGDOM COME's performance was renowned Swedish music journalist and guitar player Janne Stark, who took to his Facebook page to share a photo of the gig and he wrote in an accompanying caption: "I've never seen a drummer fall asleep on stage before but James Kottak is pretty damn close. Drunk? He slows down every song to half tempo. KINGDOM COME, sorry guys but this is SHIT!"

Kottak publicly discussed KINGDOM COME's performance at Sweden Rock for the first time in an interview with "This That & The Other With Troy Patrick Farrell" conducted just days after the concert. Regarding what caused the show to fall short of expectations, James said: "I wanna say about eight or nine days ago, maybe 10 days ago, in the middle of the night, like four o'clock in the morning, I was in a dead sleep and I just rolled off the bed and I cracked three ribs on my left side. And I went to my chiropractor guy and he says, 'Oh, you have hairline fractures.' And I'm, like, 'Oh, great.' And dude, it's just been non-stop pain. It's not just my ribs; it's head to toe. That's why things were a little bit slower. 'Cause I took ibuprofen and the usual, Aleve or whatever, but, man, it was an uphill battle from the time we started. And it was just — I mean, not pain; I'm talking pain-pain, big-time stuff. That's no excuse, because the show must go on. But, yeah, I was a little slower than usual. But also we [usually] have a click track, of course, 'cause we might have a little bit of playback. Something was up with that, so we were flying solo… And [when] you don't have it, you go, 'Oh-oh. Okay. We'll do this.' It was just an off day, and there's nothing you can do about it."

According to James, there was "definitely no drinking" involved prior to the KINGDOM COME mishap at Sweden Rock. "Because that with the medication, it doesn't go good together," he explained. "And it was just an off day, man. I did everything to [make it better] — tons of tea, this and that, and all the usual things that I do — but, man, it was just too soon after falling that we went to play this gig. But it's Sweden Rock, and you don't wanna bail out on that."

Asked if alcohol contributed to him falling out of bed prior to the Sweden Rock performance, Kottak said: "I always sleep on the left side of the bed, and I just somehow, in my sleep, rolled off the bed and landed on my left side. I mean, that's really it. I wasn't drinking — nothing like that. Yeah, I have a few white wines here and there, but nothing like that. I just rolled off the bed. And that's the first time in my life that's ever happened where I actually fell off. I woke up and saw stars. It took me 15 minutes to get off the floor. These things happen sometimes, and there's nothing you can do. With SCORPIONS, going up my riser to get to my drums, there were, like, 14 steps, and I fell down those stairs at least five times, if not six times. Because I was like a dummy — I was always spitting this water. And I'd finish a song and I'd come down not thinking, and, just, 'Whoop', right on my ass."

James also denied that his battle with alcoholism was the primary reason he was fired from the SCORPIONS in 2016. He has since been replaced by former MOTÖRHEAD drummer Mikkey Dee.

"I hate to say it, but Blabbermouth's kind of been the worst James basher," Kottak said. "They always say — any article about SCORPIONS, they say, 'Yeah, ever since James Kottak was released for alcohol abuse.' So I e-mailed them one day and said, 'Man, stop saying that.' We parted ways. It wasn't just from alcohol, dude. We went through five years of negotiations, 'cause the manager and tour manager both died within six months of each other. Then the band decided to self-manage, which is cool. But I'll tell you what, man — that's when it was a super-bumpy road and we were just not on the same page anymore. And that happens with bands."

Five years ago, SCORPIONS guitarist Matthias Jabs said that he and his bandmates "had to make" the decision to fire Kottak, explaining that they gave the drummer "all the chances" to get better. During an appearance on "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon", the guitarist said: "James was a real good friend — and he still is — but we couldn't continue with him. We gave him all the chances, and 10 more. And it was something that developed over the years — the drinking habit. It came in waves — sometimes it was good for four weeks, and then [there] was drama, and if you know him, you know what that's like. Then if it affects the show, you have to go, 'Hmmm…' Because our drum riser goes up 21 feet, or 24 feet sometimes, if the venue allows it, and the production manager, or stage manager, goes, 'I can't have him go up there. It's too risky.' If you can't really walk down the stairs straight, you can't have that. So that affects your intro of the show, and that's not good — it's not professional."

He continued: "We were helping him — we were sending him to [the island of] Antigua [to Eric Clapton's Crossroads drug and alcohol treatment center], and we paid for it, and we did everything we could, because we are extremely loyal. It's always hard if you work with somebody for almost 20 years to say, 'Okay, you've gotta go.' We'd rather do the opposite and try to keep him and help him. But we reached the point — or he reached the point — where it was just not worth it. After three months or four months even — they gave him an extra month in Antigua, the rehab — he'd come home, we'd start again, and you can't even talk to him. So we had to make that decision. We had Mikkey on the road, so [James] didn't notice. So I rehearsed with [Mikkey] and Paweł [Mąciwoda, bass] in the afternoon, just a backup; that was the original plan. But then there was no way we could continue with James, so we started with Mikkey."

Three years ago, Kottak, who joined the SCORPIONS in 1996, told the SCORPIONS official fan club Crazyscorps about the circumstances that led to his departure from the legendary German hard rock band: "I always liked a drink here and there. And then I always also take a pain medication called Aleve. It's what all the baseball players take, all the footballers, and it works like a charm. You take those of those and you don't feel anything. But on top of that, I'm a rock drummer in a rock band, and you've got the green light to drink.

"From 2008 to 2011, I didn't drink," he explained. "I just woke up one day and said, 'I just don't wanna drink anymore.' I didn't go to rehab; I didn't do any of that stuff. I just didn't wanna drink anymore.

"If you have any knowledge of A.A. [Alcoholics Anonymous] or any type of program or rehab, it only lasts so long and then you have what we call in recovery a relapse. I would go through these phases of a year or maybe two years of no drinking, and then you gradually…

"SCORPIONS, we play our show, we go back to the hotel, [and] 45 minutes later, we're all downstairs having dinner," he continued. "And everything's just the right price — free. All these flights back and forth from Europe, from L.A. — I was just flying constantly. Which I'm not complaining about, but it's always business or first class, and once again, all the booze is at the right price. I'm going, 'I've got the next two days off. I might as well have a drink.' And that's what triggered me to start drinking again sometimes.

"It's a typical alcoholic way of thinking: 'Well, I may as well have a drink. Why not?' And that's typical alcoholic disease thinking. 'Cause it is a disease."

Four years after the globally released and critically acclaimed album, Nucleus, in 2019 (a re-recording of their classic hits with English lyrics), leading Japanese heavy metal band Anthem has used the pandemic break wisely and is now ready to release their brand new studio album, Crimson & Jet Black. All songs are again in English, and the album will be released worldwide. The album will be released on April 21st via Reaper Entertainment.


Today, the band presents the first single, "Wheels Of Fire". The song is now available on all streaming platforms. The accompanying video can be seen below.







Bassist / founder Naoto Shibata comments: "This is clearly the strongest heavy metal album I've ever made. Experience the monstrous groove that the band creates. You'll witness Anthem's best album. I promise that Anthem will come to your cities and play. Until then, listen to this incredible album and let yourself be blown away."


After Anthem completed not one, but two anniversary tours in 2021, Anthem embarked on this new album to begin their next chapter. Originally, the completion was planned for spring 2022, but band leader Naoto Shibata, a perfectionist, decided to increase the quality of the songs even further and postponed the recordings to the summer / autumn so that the pure brilliance could unfold. As with previous albums, Naoto is the main producer of the album, but this time the renowned Swedish producer Jens Bogren (known for his work with bands such as Arch Enemy, Amon Amarth, Dimmu Borgir and Opeth, to name a few), who had already mixed and mastered Nucleus, is co-producer.





The tracklist is as follows:


"Snake Eyes"
"Wheels Of Fire"
"Howling Days"
"Roaring Vortex"
"Blood Brothers"
"Master Of Disaster"
"Void Ark"
"Faster"
"Burn Down The Wall"
"Mystic Echoes"
"Danger Flight"


Anthem are: 


Naoto Shibata - bass
Akio Shimizu - guitar
Yukio Morikawa - vocals
Isamu Tamaru - drums

Soilwork drummer Bastian Thusgaard has shared a drum playthrough video of the band's song "Harvest Spine", taken from their latest album, Övergivenheten, released in August 2022.





Soilwork and Canadian death metal masters Kataklysm are teaming up for a co-headline run across Europe in winter/spring 2023. This massive tour starts in Belgium, Vorselaar on February 3rd and will take them through 25 countries across Europe, to finish off in the Netherlands, Amstelveen, on April 30th.




Kataklysm frontman Maurizio Iacono comments on the upcoming tour: "We are excited to announce that we are finally returning to Europe. We look forward to support our latest album Unconquered, which we didn't have the chance to do, due to the pandemic. We will be visiting the four corners of Europe with our friends in Soilwork. We are energized, determined and ready to bring the Kataklysm impact to Europe once again. This promises to be an incredible night of metal anthems, see you there!"


Soilwork states: “We look forward to take Övergivenheten out on the European roads in February and April 2023. We are currently touring the new album in Australia and the response is just out of this world. Övergivenheten means so much to us as a band, so we simply cannot wait to bring it to our European fans.”


Tour dates are as follows:


February
3 - Vorselaar, Belgium - De Dreef 
4 - Bochum, Germany – Matrix 
5 - Hengelo,Netherlands – Metropool 
6 - Lille, France –  Le Splendid 
7 - Strasbourg, France – La Laiterie
8 - Paris, France – La Machine de Moulin Rouge 
9 - Bourg-en-Bresse, France – La Tannerie 
10 - Rennes, France – Antipode 
11 - Limoges, France – CC John Lennon
12 - Bordeaux, France – Rock School Barbey
14 - Porto, Portugal – Hard Club 
15 - Lisbon, Portugal – LAV 
16 - Sevilla, Spain – Custom 
17 - Madrid, Spain - Changó 
18 - Barcelona, Spain – Salamandra 
19 - Tarbes, France – La Gespe 
21 - Lausanne, Switzerland – Les Docks 
22 - Aarau, Switzerland – KIFF 
23 - Milan, Italy – Slaughter 
24 - Ljubljana, Slovenia – Kino Siska
25 - Budapest, Hungary – Barbra Negra
26 - Prague, Czech Republic – Palak Akropolis 
28 - Wiesbaden, Germany – Schlachthof


March
1 - Berlin, Germany – Columbia Theater
2 - Hamburg, Germany – Gruenspan 
3 - Leipzig, Germany – Hellraiser 
4 - Munich, Germany – Backstage Werk
30 - Roskilde, Denmark – Gimle 
31 - Gothenburg, Sweden – Brewhouse


April
1 - Oslo, Norway – Vulkan Arena 
2 - Stockholm, Sweden – Slaktkyrkan 
4 - Helsinki, Finland – Tavastia 
5 - Jyväskylä, Finland - Lutakko 
6 - Kuopio, Finland – Sawohouse Underground 
7 - Joensuu, Finland – Kerubi 
8 - Lahti, Finland - Möysän Musaklubi 
9 - Tallinn, Estonia – Helitehas 
11 - Riga, Latvia – Melna Piektdiena 
12 - Vilnius, Lithiania – Vakaris 
13 - Gdansk, Poland – B90 
14 - Warsaw, Poland – Progresja 
15 - Krakow, Poland – Kamienna12 
16 - Bratislava, Slovakia – Majestic Music Club 
18 - Cluj-Napoca, Romania – Form Space 
19 - Bucharest, Romania – Arelene Romane 
20 - Sofia, Bulgaria – Hristo Botev Hall 
21 - Belgrade, Serbia – Dom Omladine 
22 - Zagreb, Hungary – Boogaloo 
23 - Vienna, Austria – Simm City 
25 - Wörgl, Austria - VZ Komma 
26 - Hannover, Germany – Musikzentrum 
27 - Drachten, Netherlands – Poppodium Iduna
28 - Stuttgart, Germany – Im Wizemann 
29 - Cologne, Germany – Essigfabrik 
30 - Amstelveen, Netherlands - P60


Tickets are on sale here.

In a new interview with BODS Mayhem Hour, former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson was asked if he thinks another concert featuring the so-called "Big Four" of 1980s thrash metal — METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH and ANTHRAX — could happen. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Look, SLAYER's retired, so at this point, no. It's be the 'Big Three'. I think what made that one so cool back [in 2010 and 2011]… I had just come back to MEGADETH, Joey Belladonna had just come back to ANTHRAX, Dave Lombardo just came back to SLAYER. There was little mini family reunions with all of us, and then there was the big family reunion of all of us doing it together. So it really was a special moment. Jeff Hanneman's [late SLAYER guitarist] no longer here, so a lot of things have changed since that. Think about it — it was over a decade ago. That's already 12 years ago now. A lot has changed in that time. And fortunately, we were all still alive and healthy. I mean, Gar [Samuelson, late MEGADETH drummer] and Nick Menza [late MEGADETH drummer] weren't around anymore. Fortunately, we caught that at a moment when we were still viable and healthy and able to do it."

The "Big Four" played together for the first time in history on June 16, 2010 in front of 81,000 fans at the Sonisphere festival at Bemowo Airport in Warsaw, Poland and shared a bill again for six more shows as part of the Sonisphere series that same year. They reunited again for several dates in 2011, including the last "Big Four" concert, which was held on September 14, 2011 at Yankee Stadium in New York City. Since then, METALLICA, SLAYER and ANTHRAX have played a number of shows together, including the 2013 Soundwave festival in Australia. They also performed at the 2014 Heavy MTL festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

MEGADETH leader Dave Mustaine touched upon the possibility of further "Big Four" shows in a November 2022 interview with Greg Prato of Songfacts. He said: "I really think it's time for the guys in METALLICA to step up and us do one last round, see if we can get SLAYER to come out of retirement and do a 'Big Four' passing of the torch to the new 'Big Four'. It would remain to be seen who they are.

"I think it would be really cool symbolically if we did something at, like, the L.A. Coliseum, even if it's one show and that's it," he continued. "SLAYER is from Los Angeles, so it would probably make it more convenient for them to go home at night. [Editor's note: SLAYER's Tom Araya is a longtime Texas resident while Kerry King currently calls New York City his home. Paul Bostaph and Gary Holt live in Northern California.] I personally have been hoping for this for a while, and I keep asking and asking and asking. They're just not into it. But that's up to them."

Back in 2018, Mustaine spoke about "Big Four" in an interview with "Trunk Nation LA Invasion: Live From The Rainbow Bar & Grill" on SiriusXM. Asked if there was a personal highlight for him from all the "Big Four" shows that MEGADETH has played so far, Mustaine said: "No. The whole thing was great. I can't whittle it down to one thing. I do know that looking out in the audience and seeing everybody in black t-shirts before we started and then the rain started and all these rainbow-colored umbrellas opened up, it was the most beautiful thing. Because it went form this monochrome kind of really ugly place in Sofia, Bulgaria in the rain to just this plethora of color and just beauty, and everybody was dancing and pogoing and wheelchairs going across people's heads and stuff. They didn't let the rain bother them at all. Me, I felt like I was ice skating up there on the deck, 'cause it was really slippery."

Earlier in 2018, Mustaine said that he would love play a "Big Four" show where all the bands "got treated fairly" instead of METALLICA performing a longer set and getting more stage space than the other groups on the bill. "It always kind of soured to me when you watch [METALLICA guitarist] Kirk Hammett say on the DVD ['The Big Four: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria'], when they're praying, and he says that 'we're the Big One,'" Mustaine told SiriusXM. "That just kind of shows you how the mentality was there — that it really wasn't the 'Big Four'; it was METALLICA and then the three of us."

Mustaine added: "I would love to see it done in a way where we all got treated fairly and we all played together, same amount of time, same kind of stage situation, but I don't think that's gonna happen. And it's cool, because SLAYER's gonna down in history, and they don't need the 'Big Four' to make them any more legendary than they already are. Nor do I."

Hammett said in 2017 that he believed that the "Big Four" idea would be revisited again. He explained: "I see those shows as kind of like a celebration — a real celebration of each other, and a real celebration of the music that we all make, and a real celebration of the audience embracing [what] we've done. And why not have more of that?"

Ten years ago, SLAYER frontman Tom Araya said that the only thing that was standing in the way of further "Big Four" shows was "the politics of character in one particular band," with some fans speculating that he was talking about Mustaine and MEGADETH.

In his autobiography, "Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir", Mustaine addressed the issue of where his band fit in the "Big Four" order. According to The New York Times, he assured the reader that he was not offended by being put behind SLAYER. But he added an interior monologue: "O.K., we'll play ahead of you guys on this trip, and God willing we'll do it again sometime in the near future and we can flip things around."

Mustaine was a member of METALLICA for less than two years, from 1981 to 1983, before being dismissed and replaced by Kirk Hammett. He went on to form MEGADETH and achieve worldwide success on his own.

Mustaine feuded with the members of METALLICA for more than two decades before finally patching things up over the last few years. He has jammed with his ex-bandmates on several occasions during "Big Four" shows and at METALLICA's 30th-anniversary concerts in 2011.

In a new interview with Audacy host Taryn Daly, Greg Harris, president and CEO of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Foundation, spoke about the fact that IRON MAIDEN is among the nominees for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's Class Of 2023. He said: "We talked about Warren Zevon [being nominated], a piano-playing, songwriting guy, and then the triple guitar assault of IRON MAIDEN in the same class. It's really exciting and really fun now. MAIDEN was nominated once before, but we're hopeful that after the success that JUDAS PRIEST [had] last year that MAIDEN is inducted as well... We're thrilled that they're on the ballot."

The top vote-getters will be announced in May and inducted in the fall.

According to the Hall Of Fame, the IRON MAIDEN members that would get inducted include the current lineup of singer Bruce Dickinson, bassist Steve Harris, drummer Nicko McBrain, and guitarists Adrian Smith, Dave Murray and Janick Gers, along with former guitarist Dennis Stratton, former singer Paul Di'Anno and former drummer Clive Burr.

To be eligible for this year's ballot, each nominee's first single or album had to have been released in 1998 or earlier. Eight of the nominees (Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, JOY DIVISION/NEW ORDER, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, Willie Nelson, THE WHITE STRIPES and Warren Zevon) are on the ballot for the first time.

This is the fifth nomination for RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, the fourth for Kate Bush and THE SPINNERS, and the second for IRON MAIDEN and A TRIBE CALLED QUEST.

The 2023 class will be chosen by a group of over 1,000 artists, historians, and members of the music industry the Rock Hall has selected as voters.

Less than four years ago, Steve Harris said that he didn't care that his band had yet to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame despite the fact that it had been eligible since 2004.

"I don't mind that we're not in things like that," he told Rolling Stone in an interview. "I don't think about things like that. It's very nice if people give you awards or accolades, but we didn't get into the business for that sort of thing. I'm certainly not going to lose sleep if we don't get any sort of award, not just that one, any award. I don't think we deserve to have this or that necessarily. With what we do, whatever comes of it is great. Whatever doesn't come of it is great, too."

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal groups like MAIDEN and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that band's first year of eligibility.

Dickinson made headlines in 2018 when he referred to the Rock Hall as "an utter and complete load of bollocks" during a spoken-word gig in Australia, insisting that the Cleveland-based institution is "run by a bunch of sanctimonious bloody Americans who wouldn't know rock and roll if it hit them in the face."

Bruce later told The Jerusalem Post that he was "so annoyed with that coverage because they took my statement out of context to make it seem like I was upset that we weren't in the Hall Of Fame.

"I'm really happy we're not there and I would never want to be there," he continued. "If we're ever inducted, I will refuse — they won't bloody be having my corpse in there.

"Rock and roll music does not belong in a mausoleum in Cleveland," Bruce added. "It's a living, breathing thing, and if you put it in a museum, then it's dead. It's worse than horrible, it's vulgar."

Steve Harris previously told "Rock Talk With Mitch Lafon" that he wasn't concerned about whether IRON MAIDEN would eventually be inducted into the Rock Hall. "I don't really think about it, to be honest. I think awards are things that are nice to have when you get them, but it's not something you're really striving for — it's not what it's about it," he said. "It's never been about that. It's aways been about just trying to make good music and go out and play good live shows, and that's it, really. Hopefully people will appreciate it. It's probably nice when people give you awards — don't get me wrong; I think it's great — but it's not something that you would lose sleep over if you didn't get any.

"It's the way that I am," Harris added. "I don't know. Maybe the rest of the guys [in the band] might think differently to me, but that's the way I think. It's not that I don't care about [awards]. It's just… And it's not that they're not meaningful when you do get 'em — it's nice. But I certainly don't worry about it or anything like that. I think other people are the ones that make a bigger deal out of it than us, about whether we got one or not."

Having been eligible for induction for nearly two decades, IRON MAIDEN is one of the biggest bands on the planet. Since the release of their self-titled debut album, the British heavy metal legends have released a further 16 full-length studio records, and sold over 100 million copies.

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

Two years ago, when MAIDEN was first nominated, Stratton was asked by the "Neil Jones Rock Show" on TotalRock what his first reaction was to being on the ballot for the Rock Hall. Dennis said: "The first reaction, I've gotta be honest with you, is that I thought, 'It's not gonna include me.' Funny enough, I got a message on the LIONHEART group message from [the person] who does all our graphics, the artwork, and he said to me, 'Have you looked online? You've been nominated with the band.'"

The current LIONHEART guitarist continued: "I've never had a lot of luck with MAIDEN and certain things that have gone on over the years, like the gold discs from the first album. I never actually got what I was due. I think I got two [or] three gold discs, and there should have been about 20. And I never actually get anything, you know. It was only down to Steve Harris texting me about the re-release [of the first album], which was the 40-year anniversary, that the office actually sent me a copy of the of the 40-year anniversary picture disc. So I was happy about that. But this was a bit of a shock, because to include me and the other two, Clive and Paul, it's quite a nice gesture, from my point of view — very exciting, in my point of view."

Stratton also talked about the fact that former IRON MAIDEN singer Blaze Bayley, who fronted the band from 1994 until 1999 and appeared on two albums, "The X Factor" and "Virtual XI", was not included in the list of members who will enter the Rock Hall should MAIDEN get inducted.

"I noticed that afterwards," he said. "Because I went on Facebook, and when I saw that, I thought, well, that's gotta be down to the organizers of this event. But when I found out it involves certain years, they have to draw a line somewhere, don't they? They make the rules, so I don't know. I'd be surprised if we get involved with it, if we do get inducted, because after a couple of [disparaging] things that Bruce had said [about the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in the past], I'm a little bit thinking, well, are [the organizers] gonna look at them quotes, and are they gonna punish us [for what Bruce had said]? I don't know. I'm just very excited to be actually nominated."

Stratton was a member of MAIDEN for less than a year, but he nonetheless made a vital contribution to the band's classic first album.

In a new interview with Joe Rock of the WBAB 102.3 radio station, DEF LEPPARD drummer Rick Allen was asked if there is any truth to the rumor that late THIN LIZZY leader Phil Lynott told DEF LEPPARD singer Joe Elliott that he broke up THIN LIZZY because he "couldn't compete" with LEPPARD's third album, 1983's "Pyromania". Allen said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I've heard Joe tell that story, and I don't know how serious Phil Lynott was. But if anybody knows anything about DEF LEPPARD, they know that THIN LIZZY were a massive, massive influence on this band. So for Phil Lynott to say that, like I say, I hope he was joking, because they were a massive influence on DEF LEPPARD."

Elliott previously recalled Lynott's words to him in an interview with Classic Rock magazine. Joe said: "I remember meeting Phil Lynott. We'd delivered 'Pyromania' and, with us sharing a label with LIZZY, he'd heard it. He put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'I heard your album — it's the reason I've split the band. I can't compete with that.' The crappiest backhand compliment I've ever had. I wish I had been brave enough to shove him up against the wall and say, 'Well, make a better album then!' But I just said, 'Oh,' and scuttled off."

Back in 2015, Elliott told Radio.com: "LIZZY were a big influence [on DEF LEPPARD]. Listen to our first album; you can hear elements of their music in what we were writing. There's a song on our first one called 'It Don't Matter' which is THIN LIZZY through and through. The beginning bit of 'Lady Strange'. The twin-harmony guitars is certainly more LIZZY than it was WISHBONE ASH or ALLMAN BROTHERS. It wasn't just the twin-guitar thing, it was the simplicity of their songs. I mean, God knows what the chord sequence is for 'The Boys Are Back In Town'; it's certainly not simple, but 'Jailbreak' is moronically simple. I mean that as a compliment. How come nobody had ever written that before? It was staring everybody in the face."

Regarding his first memory of THIN LIZZY, Joe said: "My first memory of LIZZY was 'Whiskey In The Jar', which was kind of a minor hit in the U.K. back in '73. I remember buying the single on Decca Records and thinking, 'Jimi Hendrix lookalike. Nice songs. We'll see where he goes from there' sort of thing because everybody gets excited when they're kids at new music. A band comes along — whether it's [David] Bowie or T.REX or whatever — and you're just wondering what's going to happen next. Is it going to be a sustained attack or something? Is it just going to be this one hit? And after that, there wasn't anything else for three years, and you kind of forgot all about them. This was me in Sheffield, of course. You talk to somebody in Dublin and they'll be, like, 'Oh, no, no, no. We heard them all the time.' But the next time I heard them was when the next time everybody heard it, which was when 'The Boys Are Back In Town' became a huge hit. And a huge hit for a rock band was Top 20 because you were fighting 'Tie A Yellow Ribbon' and the likes of. And anything from 'Radar Love' by GOLDEN EARRING, THIN LIZZY, ARGENT, 'God Gave Rock 'N' Roll To You' infiltrated Top 40. But with LIZZY, it's almost like the singles are accidental. I don't think they ever set out to be a pop band; it was just something they just drifted into being one. By then, I was 16 and I was starting to go to gigs, so I saw the classic lineup — not on that particular tour, because I didn't see them until the 'Johnny The Fox' album, which would've been '77."

ANTHRAX guitarist Scott Ian has once again weighed in on the fact that PANTERA's surviving members Philip Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass) have united with guitarist Zakk Wylde (OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) and drummer Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX) for a world tour under the PANTERA banner.

Anselmo and Brown, along with Wylde and Benante, are headlining a number of major festivals across North America and Europe and staging some of their own headline concerts. They will also support METALLICA on a massive North American stadium tour in 2023 and 2024.

According to Billboard, the lineup has been given a green light by the estates of the band's founders, drummer Vincent "Vinnie Paul" Abbott and guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, as well as Brown, who in 2021 said Wylde wouldn't tour with PANTERA if a reunion were to happen. It's unclear what changed his mind.

Ian discussed his views on the PANTERA comeback in a new interview with Michael Christopher of Vanyaland. Asked what his impressions were of Charlie's performances with PANTERA so far, Scott said: "Oh, man… we've known for a long time that if this was ever gonna happen, that he was gonna be the guy; just his relationship with those guys for decades. There was nobody else that should sit in that seat — if it was ever going to happen — he was certainly going to be the guy, just based on his relationship with Darrell, Vinnie and Phil and Rex. The fact that that's come to realization and it's actually happening and he's up there paying his tribute to Vinnie perfectly. It was amazing. I sat right behind him during the show in Santiago and just got to literally sit right behind him from the 'Charlie's eye view' and it was a lot of fun to get to see that."

Ian previously talked about the reformed PANTERA last November, prior to the band's first concert in Mexico City, in an interview with Primordial Radio presenter Dewsbury. Asked how he felt about Zakk paying tribute to Dimebag, Scott said: "Oh, man. You know what? The two of those dudes [Zakk and Darrell], they were as thick as thieves, those two guys. They were so close, there was definitely a bond… I won't go as far as to say… Look, obviously, Darrell and Vinnie were brothers. Zakk was probably as close as you could get to actually having a blood relation to Darrell. Those two dudes were, like I said, thick as thieves, man.

"As long as I knew Darrell, and I hate to ever say, 'I knew the guy and this is what he would want — I feel a little uncomfortable ever doing anything like that — but in this situation, I feel like I would make an exception because I would truly think Darrell, based on my many, many, many, many conversations over the years with him, would have definitely said, 'If I ain't here, you've gotta get Zakk up there to fucking fly the flag,'" he continued. "It just sounds like something Darrell would have said. So, yeah, I think Zakk is — he's the guy; he is the guy.

"And I think the other thing… Not to get too much into the weeds on this, 'cause I know there's a lot of people out there with a lot of opinions. That's how it is — because of the Internet, everybody gets to put their opinion out there. There's no editors anymore — it's just opinions. So if you want my opinion, this is a tribute, and that's what it is meant to be. This is a tribute to one of the best bands in the history of heavy metal. It's a tribute that also happens to have two of the bandmembers in it, along with two guys who, I don't think there's anyone better to be able to pay tribute to PANTERA than Zakk and Charlie."

As for how Zakk planned to approach the PANTERA gig, Scott said: "I hope Zakk just gets up there and does Zakk. I don't look at it as a cover-band thing. The reason you wantZakk there is because, well, first of all, his technical ability is on the level where he could actually play Darrell's solos. You have to be of a certain level of a guitar player to even be able to do that. Of course, Zakkcan do that. So, yeah, he's got that ability. But you also want it to be Zakk — you want it to be Zakk, not just him trying to cover Darrell. That's how I feel about it anyway. The reason Zakk is there is because he's Zakk, because of his personality, because of his playing. They could have just found a guy in a PANTERA cover band who could probably play it note for note, and if you closed your eyes, [it would sound just like Darrell]. But I just hope Zakk gets up there and pays his tribute to his brother and to PANTERA."

Asked what he thought about Zakk's recent admission that he was turning to guitar tutorials on YouTube while learning some of Darrell's more complicated parts, Scott said: "Yeah, well, why not? It's a lot easier than sitting there going back and trying to listen to something four thousand times to get it right. Someone's already done the work for you. [Laughs]

"When we [in ANTHRAX] were out on the tour back in August and September with [Zakk and the rest of BLACK LABEL SOCIETY], we would be in the same hotels a lot on a day off and I would see Zakk in the lobby or something. I'd be, like, 'We're going to get something to eat. You wanna go get something to eat?' He's, like, 'No. I've gotta go back to my room. I'm in Pantera University tonight.' So he'd be doing his homework. So I was, like, 'Oh, yeah. That's right. That's where you need to be. Yeah, I hear ya. No worries.' [Laughs]"

While he was alive, Vinnie Paul had repeatedly dismissed talks of a PANTERA reunion, telling Germany's EMP Rock Invasion in 2014: "People are selfish, man. They want what they want; they don't care what you want. And it's unfortunate that people go, 'Oh, wow, man, they can get Zakk Wylde to jump up there on stage and it's PANTERA again.' No, it's not, you know. It's not that simple. If Eddie Van Halen was to get shot in the head four times next week, would everybody be going, 'Hey, man, Zakk, go play for VAN HALEN. Just call it VAN HALEN.' You see what I'm saying? I mean, it's really selfish for people to think that, and it's stupid. It's not right at all."

He continued: "They call it a reunion for a reason. It's called bringing the original members back to what it was. So there's a lot of these things that they call reunions that aren't really reunions. They've got one dude from the band floating around in them, you know. That's not a true reunion. With PANTERA, it'll never be possible."

He repeated those same sentiments a few months later, telling PlanetMosh in a separate interview: "Without Dimebag Darrell, there is no [PANTERA] reunion. And that's all there is to it. We were a very influential band, and we touched millions and millions of people with that band, but it's over. People really have to come to grips with that, and that's all there is to it. If all of us were still here, then the possibility would truly be there, but since it's not, you know… It's selfish of the fans to want something that they can't have. And they don't ever understand that, and I get it. There's things I want in this world too. You know, people in fucking hell want ice water, but they're not gonna get it. So… Anyways, I'm glad that the people who have decided to follow me in HELLYEAH do, and hopefully more of them will. And the ones that wanna live in the past are gonna live in the past."

Up until his passing in June 2018, Vinnie remained on non-speaking terms with Anselmo, whom the drummer indirectly blamed for Dimebag's death.

Vinnie Paul and Dimebag co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage by a troubled schizophrenic who believed that the members of PANTERA were stealing his thoughts.

Dimebag's longtime girlfriend Rita Haney in 2011 called on Vinnie and Philip to settle their differences in honor of Dimebag.

Vinnie, who is Dimebag's brother, and Anselmo had not spoken since PANTERA split in 2003. But the relationship got even more acrimonious when Vinnie suggested that some remarks the vocalist had made about Dimebag in print just weeks earlier might have incited Dimebag's killer.

Haney told the producers of "Behind The Music Remastered: Pantera" that she forgave the singer after they found themselves unexpectedly face to face at a concert in California.

Based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Feed After Midnite recently released their debut EP, The Hunger, and have a new music video out now for the song “False Awakening”.


The Hunger is a collection of different, unrelated stories bringing out the full groove of the band. The single is based on the films The Matrix and They Live, and it relates to how life and society are ruled by the media and government and their narrative, and we the people are tired of being controlled and lied to. The band continues to explain:


“It is the fastest, most aggressive song on the EP. It starts off sounding old-school Slayeresque, but quickly shifts into a headbang-inducing double bass groove. It was actually the last song written for the EP. It really came to its final form as we were recording the other songs. Joe Lyko really helped us with the breakdown on this one. We were really pleased with how it turned out post-production, so we decided to make it the first single. This is the fastest tempo song out of all and really represents a new level of technical skill for us all.”







The Hunger artwork and tracklisting:





"Shadows Of The Night"
"False Awakening"
"Red Dead" 
"Ascending The Flames"
"Book Of The Fallen" 


 

JUDAS PRIEST is "looking at feasible opportunities" following the cancelation of the band's European tour with Ozzy Osbourne.

The trek, originally set for 2019 and then rescheduled three times, was officially scrapped this week because of a spinal injury Osbourne suffered four years ago and other health problems. The tour was scheduled to begin in Helsinki, Finland, on May 3, and include gigs in Nottingham, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester, Dublin and London, before finishing in Ozzy's original hometown of Birmingham on June 14.

On Wednesday (February 1),JUDAS PRIEST released the following statement via social media: "We send all our love and support for Ozzy and thank our fans in the UK and Ireland especially for your loyalty by standing with us..... Right now we're looking at feasible opportunities to see each other again soon and will post update's accordingly".

Four years ago, shortly after JUDAS PRIEST's European tour with Ozzy was postponed for the first time when he was admitted to the hospital due to complications from the flu, PRIEST singer Rob Halford was asked by Australia's Heavy if Osbourne's health scare made him question his own mortality. At the time, Rob said: "We love Ozzy to death. Oh my God! When you say 'Ozzy,' your head is full of this remarkable man's career and all the wonderful things he's done for rock and roll, for metal. He's touched so many millions of people's lives, and we're really, really happy that he's recovering.

"Life is life. And you do what you can to deal with the adversity that puts itself in your path. We're going through that with Glenn [Tipton, JUDAS PRIEST guitarist]. Let me just rephrase that — Glenn's going through that himself with his great battle against Parkinson's [disease] that he's dealing with. And he's a wonderful example — a really, really strong, powerful example — of somebody that's fighting back and pushing back and still living an active life with this challenge.

"Glenn comes out and joins us when he can. He's still an active, full member of JUDAS PRIEST. If he's not able to make [any of the shows], he's with us in spirit, in the songs that he's written, and he's up on the big screen.

"So, yeah, it is what it is. We're all getting on. But we're absolutely determined to keep going and live our lives in metal and share it with our fans."

The members of PRIEST have dealt with various health setbacks in recent years. Halford publicly revealed that he battled prostate cancer during the pandemic. He previously mentioned his cancer battle in the new chapter added to the updated paperback edition of his autobiography, "Confess". In "Confess", Halford revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer after experiencing symptoms for at least a couple of years.

Faulkner suffered an acute cardiac aortic dissection during the band's performance at the Louder Than Life festival in September 2021. Faulkner was rushed to the UofL Health - Jewish Hospital where the cardiothoracic surgery team needed approximately 10 hours to complete a life-saving surgery.

Tipton was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease ninie years ago — after being stricken by the condition at least half a decade earlier — but announced in early 2018 he was going to sit out touring activities in support of PRIEST's latest album, "Firepower". He was replaced by "Firepower" producer Andy Sneap, who is also known for his work in NWOBHM revivalists HELL and cult thrash outfit SABBAT.
Ozzy

We send all our love and support for Ozzy and thank our fans in the UK and Ireland especially for your loyalty by standing with us.....
Right now we’re looking at feasible opportunities to see each other again soon and will post update’s accordingly

Love Judas Priest pic.twitter.com/RXrDD8xjLN

— Judas Priest (@judaspriest) February 2, 2023

Greek power metal band, The Silent Rage, has signed a multi-album deal with Scarlet Records. The band's second studio album, Nuances of Life, is expected to be released this spring.


Stay tuned for further details, coming soon.


The Silent Rage is:




Michalis Rinakakis - vocals
Nikos Siglidis - guitar
Nikos Sarbanis - guitar
George Haniotakis - bass
Stamatis Katsafados - drums

UFO frontman Phil Mogg is still recovering from the heart attack he suffered more than five months ago. The 74-year-old British-born musician was rushed to the hospital in late August where he had two stents implanted into his coronary arteries. This is known medically as a coronary angioplasty and aims to re-open the blocked coronary artery by inserting one or more stents. This helps keep the narrowed artery open.

On Wednesday (February 1),the UFO social media channels shared the following update from Mogg: "Dear all, I have been asked for an update on my rematch with Mike Tyson. I'm not quite there yet, but making inroads to the peak of my former powers, whilst studying the magical charms of Shanky's Whipp made in Ireland (where else!). Rehab exercise has finished, the doc has signed me off, and I have been yodelling at Brighton Electric Studios and finishing up some tunes for a Moggish album - an eccentric collection of songs that will be in my spring collection and which will put some lead in your pencil. Ho Ho!

"I would like to most sincerely thank everyone for their kind get well messages, they have worked a treat, Thumbs up emoji.

"All the very best to you all, Phil x"

He also made a reference to the photo featuring several bottles of whiskey, rum and tequila which was included with the post, saying: "PS I would like to make it quite clear that I'm not endorsing excessive alcohol use of any kind!"

UFO's farewell tour was scheduled to kick off on October 15, 2022 at the De Casino in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium and run through a final show at the Fuzz Club in Athens, Greece on October 29, 2022.

When the news of Mogg's heart attack was first made public, UFO said in a statement: "On Thursday September 1st, 2022 — after having performed several detailed examinations in the past days — the doctors pronounced a strict performance ban for Mogg until further notice. This is why the entire Last Orders farewell tour, which was supposed to lead across Europe from October 15 to 29, 2022 before ending in Athens, had to be cancelled.

"If and when the tour or — at the very least — individual shows can be made up for, is currently completely unclear and will depend on Mogg's recovery, among other things. His rehabilitation therapy will be starting in about six weeks. According to the doctors, it is not yet possible to give any concrete statements about the duration and scope of the treatment."

In 2021, UFO announced that it would embark on its final tour featuring a series of exclusive concerts in summer 2022 to bid farewell to its fans in style. UFO was scheduled to play the very last concert of in Athens, where the band performed its first show featuring current guitarist Vinnie Moore in February 2004.

When UFO's final concert was first announced, Mogg was anticipating this very special farewell show with mixed feelings, while also very much looking forward to UFO once again meeting their extensive fan base between summer and autumn 2022.

Mogg, who turned 74 in April 2022, said: "After so many years with countless highlights, fantastic experiences and lots of beautiful memories — as well as some difficult moments, naturally — it'll be a worthy finale to say goodbye to your fans in person. I know that there are bound to be some very emotional moments on both sides."

In his original statement announcing UFO's final tour, Mogg said the decision was "a long time coming," adding that while "being out on the road isn't always tremendously luxurious and although the playing is as great as it ever was, the stuff that surrounds it becomes very tiresome. I always told myself that when I reached that stage, I would step down, and that's what I'm going to do. This is the right time for me to quit."

UFO guitarist/keyboard player Paul Raymond died in April 2019. He appeared on more than a dozen of UFO's albums, including "Lights Out" and the live classic "Strangers In The Night".

UFO's current lineup includes original members Mogg and drummer Andy Parker, as well as Moore, who joined in 2003, and Rob De Luca (bass),a member since 2012.

UFO's latest release was the 2017 covers collection "The Salentino Cuts".
Here you go! pic.twitter.com/eMxiEFdpoo

— Official UFO (@UFO_rockband) February 1, 2023